1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a containment system and more particularly to a simple, reliable and inexpensive system for restraining batteries in an equipment enclosure to protect the batteries during seismic events.
2. Description of the Related Art
Equipment enclosures for telecommunications, cable television and other data transmission equipment are in use around the country, often as outdoor stand-alone units. Each enclosure generally has an upper compartment or chamber for electronic components, a lower compartment for back-up batteries to provide power should commercial power fail, and side compartments for other equipment. In some areas of the country the enclosures are subjected to seismic events, such as earthquakes. Hence, it is desirable to restrain the batteries in some fashion. Previous systems included brackets and straps, typically constraining the batteries from their bottom surfaces or their bottom portions. When this is done, it is difficult to place a heating pad or heating plate beneath the batteries because of the restraining equipment. Heating batteries may be desirable since certain types of batteries operate most efficiently and with longer life at specific temperatures, often above ambient. Hence, depending upon ambient weather conditions, heating the batteries may be justified.
The difficulties encountered by previous devices have been overcome by the present invention. What is described here is a containment system for a battery compartment of an equipment enclosure comprising a plurality of side plates, each side plate adapted to be placed along side a battery, a plurality of top flanges, each top flange being connected to a corresponding side plate, a front retainer bar adapted to engage each of the plurality of side plates for preventing forward movement of the batteries, and an extended top frame member connected to each side plate for connecting each of the side plates together and to the enclosure.
There are a number of advantages, features and objects achieved with the present invention which are believed not to be available in earlier related devices. For example, one advantage is that the present invention is an enclosure containment system which is simple, reliable and inexpensive. Another feature of the present invention is to provide a containment system for batteries of an equipment enclosure so as to protect the batteries against seismic events. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a containment system for restraining batteries of an equipment enclosure against seismic events without blocking the space under the batteries within the enclosure. Yet another feature of the present invention is to provide a containment system for a battery compartment of an equipment enclosure without using any loose hardware or straps. A further advantage of the present invention is to provide a battery containment system for an equipment enclosure which is modular and thereby able to fit in a number of different size enclosures and constrain the battery or batteries regardless of their number.
A more complete understanding of the present invention and other objects, advantages and features thereof will be gained from a consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing provided herein.